He begins singing, his voice so soulful and rich that my skin erupts in goosebumps. I’m swept away by the poetry of the lyrics as he croons about a swan trapped on a lake. The song evokes the emotional imagery of a familiar love story.
The ominous mood is swept away by the powerful music. I nod along to the lyre and drums, the music filling my heart with the urge to dance and sing. The song finishes, and the crowd erupts in applause. The man bows and steps off stage, taking his calm but commanding presence with him.
Evander and Tane bring our drinks to the table and slide into the booth with us. The band resumes with something cheery. The revelers, revitalized, head back on the dance floor, and Mathilda eyes Tane.
“No, I just sat down,” he whines.
Mathilda begins pushing us out of the booth to drag Tane to the dance floor.
Giggles bubble out of me when I see Tane wiggling his hips to the beat while Mathilda sways along to the rhythm. They paint such a portrait of happiness that it’s hard not to be a bit jealous. Evander and Mina are immersed in conversation, their heads bent towards each other, a smile gracing Mina’s lips before she takes a sip of her wine.
It’s fun being with them, but the loneliness of being the fifth wheel starts to creep in. I take a sip of my wine to fill the time. Unfortunately, it does nothing to diminish the burning between my shoulder blades that’s ramping back up.
Several songs later, Tane and Mathilda haven’t stepped a foot off the dance floor, and now Mina and Evander have joined them. All four of them dance and jump along to the band on stage. My delight grows watching them.
But a prickling sensation tickles the back of my head, like I’m being watched. I shift in my seat, scanning the tavern.
No one is blatantly staring at me, but the feeling remains. The band begins playing another cheery song, the music blending with the stomping of the dancers’ feet. Evander pulls me from the booth and onto the dance floor. I fall into step between Mina and Mathilda, laughter flowing out of each of us as we stomp to the beat and twirl in place.
This is the most fun I’ve had in what seems like ages.
But it’s only been two or three very long days since I was smiling across the North Sea with Lach. The realization ripples through me like a stone dropped in water.
After the song, Evander and Mina walk with me to our table, but as they settle into the booth, I pause.
“I think I’m gonna head back,” I call to Evander and Mina over the music. “I’ve got an early training session in the morning with Julius, and I’m exhausted.”
They both frown, but Mina asks, “Are you sure? We can walk you back.”
“Nah, I’m ok. You guys have fun. Tell Mathilda and Tane I said bye,” I reply over my shoulder. I shoulder my way through the crowd. Careful to avoid wings and spilled mead on the floor.
The sound of the music and laughter tumbles out of the door after me. Outside, the night air is crisp, and I draw in a lungful. The coolness refreshes my balmy skin. Music from the tavern follows me up most of the street before it finally quiets.
There are still quite a few people outside enjoying the night on patios or strolling together down the street to different taverns. Lost in a daze, the flames of the lanterns flickering overhead, hushed conversations from the surrounding people begin to pierce through my thoughts.
Two male teens turn onto the street in front of me. Their voices are agitated, and my ears strain to hear them. I wonder if they are part of the curfew-breaking teens Ashur complained about. I only manage to pick up pieces of their conversation. Something about the great tree and how it’s an omen.
Great tree?
I haven’t heard anyone mention that yet. How could a tree be an omen?
They begin vibrating with outrage, the larger one exclaiming, “It’s really dying, I’ll show you!”
The urge to follow them outweighs my exhaustion, and I trail behind them at a comfortable distance. They walk briskly towards the center of the capital, and I’m grateful they stick to the main streets so I don’t attract their notice.
We take the second bridge that crosses over the Ayele River, the water still and reflecting the night sky above.
The city on this side of the river is different from the part of the city Odessa paraded me through. With each new street I turn down, the buildings become farther apart. No longer are there flower pots or decorated store windows. Here, the buildingsthemselves look more medieval than decorative. The colorful, bright buildings shift into plain white stone with red-tiled roofs. It’s not run down by any means, but it’s not the picturesque street that I was led to believe encompassed the entire capital. The street lanterns get farther apart, and before long, only the blazing light of the stars illuminates the path.
The teens turn off the main street and walk through a narrow gate, the wood creaking open is their last sign before I lose sight of them. Beyond the gate is a footpath with muted lights on either side, lighting my way.
However, the lights aren’t flames like the street lamps. They are glowing orbs resting on tall stones. The winding path leads to the top of a small hill, and at its peak is the base of the largest ash tree I’ve ever seen. The trunk rivals that of the redwoods we would drive through in California.
The glowing orbs shine all around the tree in welcome, and a few more are sporadically placed high up into the tree itself. The orbs shine into its branches, highlighting its majesty even on a night as dark as this.
The tree is surrounded by a garden, a babbling brook singing in the distance, and several wooden benches placed under the broad branches of the tree. I walk under an outstretched branch, leading me to the trunk. Leaves flutter above me, but they don’t sound like normal leaves because they’re not leaves at all, but strips of fabric. There are thousands tied along the lower branches.
My mother used to cut strips like these during Yule, and we would tie them to the branches as wishes for the Father.
